Running tools for packers have in the past primarily allowed for a single mode of release. This has generally been accomplished by picking up or setting down and breaking a frangible member, such as a shear pin, to effectuate the release. Other designs used in the past have added to the shear release technique by providing a mechanism for hydraulic release by virtue of dropping a ball against a seat. These designs were workable if pumping through the tubing was possible and there was no pluggage downhole to preclude pumping the ball down to the seat. However, in those designs, should the tubing be obstructed or include a wireline device, the technique of hydraulic release became unworkable. Designs have been developed for fishing tools where a release is possible by virtue of backpressure created by flow through an orifice. An example of such a design for a fishing tool is U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,201. In this fishing tool, latching occurs by setting down weight, and release occurs by setting down weight coupled with a flow through an orifice which creates backpressure to desupport collets so that disengagement from a fishing neck can occur.
What has been lacking in prior running and setting tools for packers is a plurality of reliable release techniques. Thus, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide multiple techniques for release from the packer after set. Another objective of the invention is to provide the necessary internal supports in the tool so that upon removal of the running/setting tool from the wellbore, the latch mechanism does not get inadvertently engaged and damaged, as was possible in some of the prior designs. Another objective of the invention is to provide a mechanism to allow the pumping of a ball down to a seat, even if normal circulation is impeded by a downhole obstruction.